Books

Seeking Christ, Not Solutions

Water from Stone says Christians are addicted to problem solving, when they should be seeking Christ.

Water from Stone
Water from Stone
Water from Stone by M. Wayne Brown NavPress 175 pp., $16.99

After two decades of counseling Christians, therapist M. Wayne Brown says he has seen the damage from faith that expects certain results-and the discouragement that follows when things don’t turn out as planned.

“It’s apparent that today’s Christian often becomes addicted to seeking solutions rather than true transformation,” he writes. “This addiction is making us spiritually neurotic and ineffective.”

Brown eschews the pragmatic and programmatic approaches to faith, which he calls “the culture of Right Christian Living”-biblical principles that Christians use to achieve noble objectives: a stronger marriage, more effective prayer, a larger church, better-behaved kids. Rather, he believes, “The challenge for the church in the 21st century is to return to our first love-not only to the Person of our first love, but also to the way of our first love-the way of Jesus Christ.”

Brown invites readers to make the shift from seeing faith as an exercise to abandoning themselves to God because he is God.

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Water from Stone is available from Christianbook.com and other book retailers.

More information is available from the publisher.

Also in this issue

Why the 'Lost Gospels' Lost Out: Gadfly scholars and DaVinci Code conspiracy theories question the legitimacy of the New Testament. Too bad they haven't done their homework.

Our Latest

News

Black Clergy and Christians Grapple with Charlie Kirk’s Legacy

Many say the activist’s inflammatory statements on race should inform how we remember his life.

News

A Sudden Death: Voddie Baucham, Who Warned the Church of Fault Lines

Known for confronting critical theory, moral relativism, and secular ideologies, Baucham died a month into leading a new seminary in Florida.

Why Many Black Christians Reject the Evangelical and Mainline Labels

The history of a prominent church pastored by MLK in Alabama shows the reason African Americans often don’t embrace either term.

News

Pastor Abducted in Nigeria Amid Escalating Kidnapping Crisis

Armed gang continues to hold him after family paid the ransom.

Review

The Liturgy of American Charisma

Historian Molly Worthen studies dynamic leaders, eager followers, and their shared efforts to “consecrate a new reality.”

Inside the Ministry

The Next Gen Initiative

Casting a captivating vision of following Jesus for the next generation.

The Just Life with Benjamin Watson

Bruce Deel: Mercy With A Spine

Creating real pathways to stability so families can flourish through housing, work, and dignity.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube